Rise of fly-tipping in Coventry
The latest figures show that there were 2,191 cases in April, May and June this year compared to 6,428 across the previous 12 months
Fly-tipping in Coventry has surged, with over 2,100 cases in three months.
Councillors raised concerns as only 3% of incidents led to prosecution.
The council says cases are investigated when evidence is available, with some prosecutions pending.
In this week’s full council meeting, Cllr Marcus Lapsa asked what actions had been put in place to tackle the rising numbers.
Cllr Lapsa said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on normal society. Out of 6,428 incidents, we have only prosecuted three per cent. This leaves 97 per cent of people who have got away with it. Guess what, they will continue to do it if they get away with it 90 per cent of the time.”
The figures also stated that nearly 900 warning letters had been sent out and 213 fixed penalties issued by Coventry City Council’s environmental enforcement team. A further five prosecutions were pending, awaiting court dates.
Cllr Abdul Khan, the cabinet member responsible for policing and equalities, said: “Policies and procedures are followed on every occasion when fly-tipping is reported and an investigation takes place where there is evidence of who is responsible.
"We cannot pursue cases where they is no evidence and ultimately, even if we take the case to court, it will be up to the magistrates on the day to decide whether a particular individual is found guilty or not.”
Cllr Lapsa also questioned why it had taken 12 emails to have fly-tipped waste removed from a site in Budbrooke Close in Aldermans Green and, when it was cleared, asbestos waste was left behind.
In a written reply, Cllr Khan said: “The council-owned parcel of land at Budbrook Close / Pailton Close / Milverton Road, leased to Orbit housing, was subject to fly-tipping, but maintenance and clearance are the leaseholder’s responsibility.
“Following complaints in August 2025, environmental enforcement officers served notice on the leaseholder to clear the site and recommend security improvements.
"The leaseholder cleared non-hazardous waste and engaged specialists to remove hazardous materials like asbestos, keeping officers informed and being granted extra time due to the waste’s nature and volume.
“Officers are awaiting confirmation on when the site will be secured and how they intend to reduce the impact of similar situations in the future.”